Two of Mary’s associates in the later part of her life were Rebecca J Howard Boone and Mrs. Jessie Park. There were land transfers of specific properties between them starting in 1880s through 1896. The tainted San Francisco press of the 1890s often noted one of these women as being “in league” with Mrs. Pleasant. However, research reveals both women are possibly relatives through Mrs. Pleasant’s first husband James W. Smith. Two news articles noted specifically that Mrs Boone was Mrs Pleasant’s niece. We are not aware of MEP having siblings, so it is presumed by this researcher that Mrs. Boone was Mary’s niece through marriage, specifically her first marriage to James W Smith.
James was said to have a much younger brother living in Philadelphia. There is also another tale that one of James’ brothers-in-law being kidnapped in Philadelphia to be re-enslaved. The brother in law was rescued and the family fled for safer environs, Ohio. And again, in two separate articles, Rebecca Jane Boone was referred to as Mrs. Pleasant’s niece. This is achieved through Rebecca’s mother, Anna Park Howard originally of North Carolina. Anna is presumed to be a relative to James, likely his sister. Anna‘s has a brother, John who was the father of Robert M Park (1846-1889), married Suzanna Jessie Park. Thus both of these women, Rebecca and Jessie, appear to be Mary’s nieces by marriage.
Barley Street and Philadelphia
In Mary’s written interviews in 1899 and 1901, she stated she born free in Philadelphia (see earlier post on Barley Street). The 1845 Quaker Census of black Philadelphians notes a Jane Parke, dressmaker, living on Barley Street. (Below is the digitized 1845 Quaker census excerpt, followed by a scan of the actual record.)
A Link to 1850 Philadelphia census also shows Jane’s household which includes two young women named Anna and Caroline, as well as a son named Weldon.
The same is repeated in the annual City Directory:
Source: Philadelphia 1837 City Directory
This again confirms that not only was there a Barley Street in Philadelphia during Mary’s lifetime but people of color lived on the street. Jane Park moved from Philadelphia to Ohio with John W. and Anna Park Howard, Jane is presumed to be Anna’s mother (Jane born in 1779 would’ve been 53 when Anna was born, she possibly a grandmother). The families origins are indicated as North Carolina. A Link to 1860 Census Ohio record lists the Howard household including Jane Park. John and Anna had their second child in Ohio, a daughter named Rebecca Jane who would move to San Francisco in 1874. She would testify in court that Mrs. Pleasant took care of all her needs after her father (John W Howard) died. Rebecca under her married names, first Gordon and later Boone, would appear in various legal forums related to Mary.
Jane Park ‘s son, John Park (1819-1863) remained on the East coast. In 1858 he would have a daughter, named Mary Ellen. This date happens to coincide with MEP’s trip East and her work with John Brown. The tragic fate of his eldest daughter, named Caroline F Park is chronicled here. John’s eldest son, Robert Morris Park (1846-1889), a seaman would marry a Susanna “Jessie” Westwood, a white woman, in England 1875. Robert and Jessie by 1878 would settle in San Francisco and in 1892, Mary would transfer some property to Jessie, and Jessie would testifying in 1888 and again in 1923 as being present when a few of the Bell children were born. Robert and Jessie had eight children surviving to adulthood, all born in San Francisco. They also had several children die in infancy, buried at Lone Mountain Cemetery in plots purchased by MEP.
The Church street property would become embroiled in Mary’s insolvency case in 1897 and sold to pay off a Hibernia Bank mortgage. And as noted in the 1892-1896 San Francisco City Directories, Jessie Park (widow) resided at Geneva Cottage.
During the Sharon v Sharon trial, attempts to discredit Mrs Pleasant began by stating Eustace Bell was not Mrs Bell’s natural child. The insinuation that she was selling babies was brought forward by Senator Sharon’s lawyers in 1884. A Sharon witness named Jennie Wanger made the charge. To rebut this claim, Miss Hill’s lawyers called a white nurse, “Suzanna Parks” to the stand. Mrs Park testified to being present at Eustace Bell’s birth. It was noted in the press that soon thereafter Mrs Pleasant rewarded Park and her husband with a house. Suzanna Parks aka as Jessie Park. A review of SF Directories notes the Park family had lived in the same dwelling since 1879 on Church Street near Duncan, later number 1425 and they would continue to live for another ten years at least. There are no deed records transferring the property between Mrs Pleasant and Mrs Park for this property during the 1880s.
Further evidence of the potential familial relationship is Mary’s covering the costs of Mr. Park’s funeral expenses in September 1889. The Funeral book entry notes he was from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and his residence was 1425 Church Street, San Francisco.
Jane Park has a second young woman in her home on Barley Street in Philadelphia, Caroline. In Xenia Ohio, Caroline would marry an Augustus C Dunn. They would eventually reside in Cleveland, Ohio. Anna Park Howard would die around 1863 and in 1864 her eldest son would be appointed guardian of her minor children. [Speculation is that the children’s father was engaged in the Civil War.] In 1871, Caroline Dunn would seek to have Jerome removed as guardian; her request was granted. Her Guardianship would end in 1874 which coincides with Rebecca Jane Howard’s relocation to San Francisco.
Again, none of this is definitive as we do not have key names, specifically who was James W Smith father? However the coincidences of Philadelphia, Barley Street, Ohio, Rebecca Jane Howard and Jessie Park in the annals of Mary’s life suggested a the familial connection. In Heritage of Power, Ms. Bibbs indicates that Caroline Dunn’s husband, Augustus Dunn was taken into slavery thus prompting the Park-Howard-Dunn families to relocate to Ohio. Was it Howard or Dunn that was kidnapped into slavery? Or something else entirely? Perhaps the Pleasants participation in the Chatham Vigilance Committee and the rescue of a New Jersey teen Sylvanus Demarest in 1858 has been muddled into the story?
That others could draw different conclusions is not disputed. A Park family tree is found here.